The use of cocaine has been associated with the occurrence of functional and morphological-cardiovascular disorders such as cardiac arrhythmias and acute myocardial infarction, myocarditis and sudden death by Creglar and Mark, N. Engl. J. Med. 315:1495-1500 (1986).
Recent animal studies on the interaction between nitrendipine, a Ca.sup.2+ modulator, and the cardiac effects of cocaine as reported by Nahas and Trouve, N. Engl. J. Med. 313:519-520 (1988), suggest that these drugs may antagonize the cardiac toxicity associated with cocaine use in humans.
The present inventors have studies the effects of calcium channel blockers, such as nifedipine, and have determined that these pharmacological agents reduced the subjective effects of cocaine including euphoria, "rush" and "craving" for cocaine in cocaine drug abusers. Euphoria is measured by scales designed to detect the mood elevating effects of a drug. "Rush" is an intense pleasurable sensation reported by drug users immediately after intravenous injection or inhalation of either cocaine or opioids. "Craving" is a sense of wanting or needing to use the drug again and is measured in these studies by asking the subject to report on the intensity of this urge to use. Thus, the present invention has been accomplished with the above problems in mind.